The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-05-12
A Letter from Mr.. J. W. Mitchell.

attack ON me will You please grant me space
for reply?
| There is really little or nothing to call for re-
ply. ~" attempts no argument and denies no
fact or figure that have given, but throws his
whole soul into cur>in@. Cur>ng is not argu-
ment and can be answered only in kind. 1t
| We're easy to answer this fool according to his
, folly, but ! forbcar lest | be like unto him.
When lawyer Of D's ability is driven to put
forth so tiim>y plea i'll any ca,l>c it only shows
the desperate nature OF the case.
| The point in discussion may he stated in few
words. Some weeks since published in the
Journal the following table:
Cost Of Drunkenness i'll Waldo Comfy in ISSti.
l"pafu OF prisoners, ....,.... ........S l!tls
oilrers' fces for arresng ctc,........... G}2 81
" . committing, ............ Isl 80
feeS "i police judge and juSticcs,.... 436.69
Nithts>t-,.'........ ............ 23s..5
Total cost 31ls.iI
This, stated. is Waldos annual rum bill
and increased by ,undry expenses at the Jail,
etc, makes a total of more than $1,000 or up-
'rd'ds ~ on" nm l."H oj Tie ,rboIc coUnty
tag. | then charged that our sheriff has not en-
forced The prohtorl law, that he has declared
tli;t he will not enforce it, and that his neglect
and refusal to do his sworn duty is Il cause of
great expense to this county. He replied in a
letter rery Hhe his of"Ds'' and rejoined in
another in the Journal. in which showed. from
the records of the court, that this great bill of
expense is wholly and entirely due to drunken
ness. | proved this from the records of the
court and by the evidence of hundreds of wit
ne>>es. | then showed from the law, his duty;
from his pl>l record. that he has not enforced
the law: and from his own words that he does
not propose TO do it. | presented an array of
facts and figures that he cannot answer He
We'll knows that his refusal to enforce the law
: tostln" this county thousands of dollars that
are Wr'n- from the people in taxes. 1t is high
time that the people should know this. too. 1t
Is no small matter: for aside from the disgrace
of allow inc the rum shops of Belfast to be wide
open. there is question of county taxes which.
interests all. 1t is question for calm argl,-
mcnt and careful thought. There is no cause
Tor anger. for have stated simply what the
records show. Abuse will never convince the
people of Waldo County that they are not pay
M ont thousands ncrdr>>ly: yes to their pos
Itive disgrace. They are waiting to hear MIR.
Nad>Wor,h say that the records show no such
thing; that he has always enforced tn. prohih-
ltory law vigorously: that he will do so in the
future thai he has always obeycd the command.
th. :. {. -. co. "Sheriii> and their deputies
shall diligently and faithfully inquire into all
Violations of the laws against the Illegal sale of
Intoxicating liquors. either by entering com
plant and executing the warrant. issued there
ON, CT by furnishing the county attorney with
names of offenders and Witnesses" They wait
to hear hiin ~ay that he had no reference to this
section when he declined to resolve himself
into a ">inclling" committee to Ito - dirty
Work. They wish to know whether lie has
ever entered complaint against liquor seller:
whether he has ever given he name Of an otlcnd-
or or witness to the county attorney: whether
lie has served search aud seizure warrants at
the rate of more than one per year since h. has
been sheriff: whether he ever instructed his
deputies to enforce the law; whether his board
bill j. not vastly increased hy the saloons of
Belfast; whether il would not Tighten the bun
drhs of the taxpayers in Waldo County some
thousands if he ~houd do Ms sworn duty.
They ar" waiting for his iclIy. and will wait
III vain. He has no +, lily to make. He stands
confessed by his silence. Let him speak Let
him answer the ahoNr points and ,ub>lantiatr
hi ,alem, ut that H. has always done his duty
by this ~ jy every other law. tie cannot,
AoIl>" is the only reply. | can stand abuse.
however. a> Lone as he ran stand facts. If Inc
>!c> 10 argue this point am ready: but |
eaHnoi iind time 10 reply To many anonymou,
lctlarlor-
"bH n>intr~ lhat another than |, is All
thor oi lhy articles over my signature. lie
h"'i> a> Wild" of the truth her, rs elsewhere.
No ON" had more to do with them than ..D''
himself, profess to bo able 10 write my own
articles.
''i' in>intmtc~, too that my school suffers
on iccouut of my outside work. If he states
that hi- opinion he i mistaken: if for a fact,
h" is Il liar. In II, way or shape has my school
b'rn injured. Nptcarhrr in Belfast gives more
time t" lis >cirlul work tlau |. have always
given my scholars to understand thai my " Whoc
time is theirs if they need it. have never re-
fused Ioaill any scholars u>i,r of school hours
and in time that is strictly my own, and esteem
it pleasure always. 1t has always been my
trt care, my first duty. IL work has been
done before amy other; and if. when my school
TO longer needs my attention, | choo>otu spend
all or any portion Of my time at the Court
nous" il is no concern Of ~" OF any other man.
III" say, too, that have ~landrrcd Belfast
and : best citizens. Being Il lawyer. "p"
should know what constitutes >lantlrr. TO
GH"tr from the Revised statutes i no SANDER;
to publish tine records of ihc court no >lanl,r:
TO truthfuIly toll the acts of public officer. no
SANDER; and this is all have done. hayrno
reason or wish tu >lli,cr Belfast OF it, ctizr,l>
and no decent man feels that | have. Dnc
whose character is none of the hest is peculiar
y alive. 10 ''>lan,Icr." and ~" perhaps. an
>wrr> This description. 1t is deliberate at
tempt hv'rlibcratc falschood to undermine me
i'll the estimation of the people of this city. |
have 10 fui>oric praise to bc>tow on the city.
II" word of di>l'ara@cmrmt against it, save for
its saloons. 1t is moi particularly better OF
worse, presume, than many another city. |
do it no evil when quote from the records of
the courts. Far from putting Il stain ON the
city, have most earnestly sought to remove
its hiackc~t stain, its saloons.
These saloons are plague spots They are
eating the life and reputation out of this fair
city. They are filling Your jail and your poor
house Thci" influence is haeful and corrupt
ins. Will the laW-IoNiny citizens of Belfast
then rive ear to this ~" who seeks to null
me down because of my anta.son>m to the 81
looms. have never said that all these $50
cases of drunkenness We're of citizens of Bel
fast or Of Waldo County. This is il statement
that has been attributed to me tomake food for
cur>ing. Still no one can deny that they occur
red Waldo County. and the worst of them in
Belfast; and no reasonable man doubts that
Belfast saloons are responsible. | have put no
stain Oh YOU OF your city. have stated facts
and that is doing no evil to YOU or the city.
\ few have devoted time and money to purg-
inc Belfast of its curse. BY their efforts four
have been caused to leave the city forever,
and So far as is known. the State: two have
closed up their business, one got a dose of iail
and went out of the business in disgust, one
has moved out Of the city, one has advertised
his business for sale, aud four have been com
ticted of second offence, and though. as is
usual, they have appealed it is mere form,
and they can keep outside of the ai no longer
than next October. CONSERVATION is in the
ranks Of the enemy. Only new one has
come in to take the place of all these. Such